Chapter 26: Of the Church

Of the Church

Paras
1-4 I. The universal church
1-2 A. Its Identity
1

1. As invisible
2
2. As visible
3 B. Its perpetuity
1. Its seeming improbability
2. Its actual certainty
4 C. Its authority
1. The true head of the church, the Christ

2. The false head of the church, the Antichrist
5-15 II. The local church
5 A. Its originating mandate

1. The foundation of the mandate
2. The substance of the mandate
6 B. Its defined membership
1. Evangelical
2. Volitional
3. Covenantal
7 C. Its authoritative power
1. Its defined recipients
2. Its complete sufficiency
3. Its reiterated origin
4. Its specified purpose

5. Its regulated execution
8-13 D. Its appointed government
8

1. The identity of its government
9
2. The appointment of its government
10-11

3. The cornerstone of its government: the ministry of the Word 10

The official ministry of the Word by pastors
Its heavy responsibilities
Its proper honouring
11
The auxiliary ministry of the Word by others
12-13
4. The extent of its government
12
It extends to all its members
13
It extends to all its problems
The situation envisaged
The prohibition issued

The direction required
14-15 E. Its fraternal relations: the communion of local churches
14(a)

1. Its divine warrant
14(b)
2. Its providential limitations
14(c)
3. Its spiritual benefits
15
4. Its special advantage: advisory meetings
Their possible reasons
Their biblical basis
Their strict limitations

From: Samuel E. Waldron, A Modern Exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, (Evangelical Press, 1989), p. 309-311. Used by permission. __________________________________________________________________